Race truck jumps over ghost town, sets world distance record

It’s always amazing to watch vehicles make jumps over mammoth distances, but there needs to be an equally massive amount of planning before anyone can make a record-breaking leap possible. This single minute of video required a gargantuan effort before Bryce Menzies jumped his Pro2 truck over a ghost town in New Mexico. However, the work was worthwhile because he set a new Guinness World Record of 379.4 feet (115.64 meters).

Menzies wanted to do this jump for the past three years, and his team needed months to make it possible. Four months before arriving in the desert, Menzies was doing test jumps near San Diego for the crew to find the perfect suspension setup. The group also tested the ramps in New Mexico for days before making the record-breaking leap.

The hard work paid off with this massive jump, but Menzies wanted to go even further in front of a live audience. He had planned to attempt the leap again on August 27 for Red Bull TV, but tragedy struck before the taping when Menzies crashed during a practice run. He walked away from the accident with a broken shoulder, but it meant his 379.4-foot flight was his best attempt.

The clip below also provides a glimpse at the preparation for the jump and interviews with Menzies and his team. They’re a dedicated group, and it’s a major achievement to fly over the length of a football field in a truck.

Menzies leap beats Tanner Foust’s 332-foot (101.2-meter) leap in 2011. Rally driver Guerlain Chicherit hoped to jump 360 feet (110 meters) in a Mini Countryman in 2014. However, the attempt ended in a massive crash, which showed just how dangerous chasing the record could be.

While not able to go nearly as far, commercial trucks have managed impressive distances, too. For example, the Lotus F1 Team’s truck managed 83 feet and 7 inches (25.48 meters) and went over a Formula One car in the same attempt. Last year, there was an amazing video of the longest semi leap from the United State, which had an amazing finish.

Source: Red Bull